New to the News: Extreme reporting

Hi! We are Andrew and Allegra, Lori’s 16-year-old twins. We will be guest blogging here Monday through Thursday for the summer. As co-editors-in-chief of Millennial Youth, an independently owned magazine by youth for youth that got its start with tons of help from the Times Union and has its main office in the Times union’s education building, my sister and I have made a commitment to become better news consumers and to get up to date with the news.

Please talk to us by commenting. We will comment back, and maybe we can get a good conversation going. If you want to see what we’re up to, you can find us and follow us on Twitter. We are @andrewcullenMY and @allegracullenMY.

Today’s post-

My favorite thing to hear when watching the news is of reporters going around the world. It makes me instantly interested. When I know a reporter went through such great lengths to get a story it makes me think two things: first, the story is probably worth my time if this person flew halfway around the world, maybe to a potentially dangerous place, to report. Second, I almost feel required to watch it. If someone put s0 much time and effort into a story it’s almost disrespectful not to.

At the other end are the reporters who will do anything for a good story. A prime example are the News Corps reporters who hacked into the voice-mail of a missing 13-year-old-girl. I find things like this are just wrong and reporters should have a bit more dignity. I want to get my news from a reliable source. Once you start doing illegal or borderline illegal things is when I stop viewing reporters as reliable and trustworthy. Who’s to say they won’t fake something or do something else wrong just to get a good story? It’s not too far of a jump.

I definitely appreciate dedicated reporters who work hard for a good story. As long as their methods are honest then I will be interested. Once a reporter is using shady methods, breaking the law, or just being downright immoral is when I draw the line of my trust and value.